The fight to save Europe’s fisheries continues

Ahead of crucial votes in the European Union (EU) Parliament and Fisheries Committee, more than 150,000 people signed a WWF petition calling for ambitious reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy to ensure all European fish products are from sustainable, non-overfished stocks. And a WWF poll indicated almost 90% support of EU citizens. The Parliament vote in February was overwhelmingly in favour by almost five to one, and incorporated all five of WWF’s main asks including elimination of discards and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, allowing fish stocks to recover and moving to multi-year fisheries planning. But EU fisheries ministers meeting in May agreed only some reforms: Will the Parliament continue to act on the public’s demand to stop overfishing?